🏞 Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - Practicing With Nature

[BryWisteria]

Merry meet!

Thank you once again to all those who joined in last week’s Weekly Witchy Challenge - Metal Magick

After forging magick with metal, we’re going back to the source - it’s time to head outside. The world awaits!

The theme for this week’s challenge is…

Nature-Based Magick: Practicing with the Earth

The Earth is both our home planet and an influential elemental in our lives. Nature, directly and indirectly, plays a huge role in our day-to-day lives. It’s only natural that such a powerful force be represented and acknowledged in our Crafts as well!

From crafting with natural ingredients to herbal explorations, Earth elemental spellwork to nature deities and more, we’re heading into the deep woods this week It’s time to let out your wild side with some nature explorations!

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This week’s challenge is all about practicing with nature - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you.

So are you ready? Because it’s…

CHALLENGE TIME!

Picture from Spells8: Plant Magick Guide

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STEP 1 : Nature in the Craft

This challenge is all about nature magick - but as always, feel free to explore the theme in a way that aligns with you and your unique practice.

Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.

Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!

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Earth Element

Earth Magick: Spiritual Growing and Elemental Grounding

Earth Elemental Invocation Chant

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Green Witchcraft

The Green Witch: Herbal Witchcraft Course

Plant Magick & Spells: A Simple Guide for Green Witches

Witch Plants: Herbs & Recipies Every Witch Should Know

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Natural Crafting

How to Make and Consecrate Your Own Witch’s Wand

Creative Ways to Use Old Herbs & Spices

Witch Crafts with Dried Lavender

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Deities and Spirits of the Earth

11 Goddesses of the Forest, Wild Animals, and Nature

Gaia: Goddess Symbols, Correspondences, Myth & Offerings

Resting in the Arms of Earth Mother Meditation

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Herbal Blends & Brews

Magickal Herbal Tea Recipes: Ceremonies, Rituals, and Spells

Calming Herbal Bath

Herbal Foot Soak Recipe

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… And More!

The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity- if you feel called to explore nature in magick in another way, you are welcome to do so!

As always, all witches are encouraged to embrace their own unique practice with how they explore the challenge theme

Picture from Ghost Pipes: Herbal Folklore, Medicine, and Magick

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STEP 2 : Share Your Experience

Click here for a note about challenge inclusivity

Everyone is welcome to join the challenge by practicing magick in line with the current theme. For lurkers and those who don’t feel comfortable sharing, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge but keep your entry personal. Feel free to join in spirit and do what feels most comfortable for you!

That being said, please know that if you would like to receive a prize and a public shout-out, it is required that you share your experience.

Getting Your Credit

In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!

Where Should I Share My Entry?

Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry

You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!

Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)

Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!

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Deadline

This challenge will close in 6 DAYS

To join in, please share your experience by:

Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2024-09-17T11:00:00Z

(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)

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Prizes

For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!

Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums on Tuesday.

After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.

Picture from Spells8: Mother Earth Incense Recipe

A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice

If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.

And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways

Picture from Spells8: Earth Magick

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Above, below, and all around
The trees, the air, the lakes, the ground
She’s with us to death, each step from birth,
We’re nothing without our Mother Earth

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Blessed Be!

[Artemisia]

Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!! Love the theme and it’s starting to feel like fall here (which is nice after a week of excessive heat warnings and real feel temps of 110+ every day of our vacation).

I’ve got gardening tasks to do, plus I love runs/walks through the woods looking for seed pods, nuts, and berries!

Need to get out for my run right now, so we’ll see what I see and what sparks inspiration for this challenge

[MeganB]

@Artemisia

it’s starting to feel like fall here

Same here - I woke up this morning to it being in the 40sF outside and I could see my breath when I took my dog out. I even had to turn on my furnace for the first time since last winter just to warm up the house for my daughter before she went to school

[Jeannie1]

I am so excited for this Challenge I wanted you to all know I am exploring a new way of life! Since nature has a way of helping our wellbeing and is beneficial to our exsistance. I decided to major in park and recreation so I just so happen to be taking a class in outdoor recreation. So this week I get to write a paper about how outdoor recreation is helping students who take a vantage of outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation has benefits and is very valuable to our well-being It impacts are lively hood to restore ourselves back to sanity!

• Psychological Well-being
• Spiritual Well-being
• Physical well-being
• Challenges Adventure
• Adventure Activities
  Last week me and my husband packed up the Kiack and went to Salor Bar which is a pretty place near Hazel Ave near Sunset
  Today I will start my morning with a morning walk with my dog and my husband.

How do you explore nature and how does it relate to your practice in

Witchcraft?
Working with the elements
It’s still sunny around here FYI

@MeganB

it being in the 40sF outside

Ohh
That takes some getting used to. I’m glad that you have a furnace.!
Jeannie

is that a weed or what?
Plant Id for free

Jeannie

[Artemisia]

@Jeannie1

is that a weed or what?

Looks like Chicory to me!

[Jeannie1]

I think it is, I just got a app so I can use the app to identify what it is I connected to the flower or weed because it reminds me of Astor (Loving Self) (Self Love)and so when I get home; I actually plucked one so I could identify it when I get home. I had to go to work so as soon as I get home, I’m gonna plug it in my app… also, I felt connected to it because it’s purple so I just really felt like it was calling to me and so for this challenge I figured it was appropriate based on nature and how nature speaks to us so the plant was basically telling me that it doesn’t matter if it’s a weed or a plant or it’s all good . But thank you for asking. I wondered if anybody was going to ask. I do believe it’s a weed, but I know that even weeds have medicinal properties.
Jeannie

[Artemisia]

Personally, I wouldn’t classify it as a weed as roast chicory root is used as a coffee substitute and chicory is used in many commercial products including Fiber One bars.

Chicory

It’s a wonderful naturalized plant that often goes overlooked by many! Good job finding and recognizing this one!

[Jeannie1]

Chicory, Chichorium Endiva (Endive)
Wow unbleivable this is actually a leafy vegeteble that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is native in Europe and Asia and has been cultivated for centuries for its culinary and medicinal properties.
Good for and has rich A,C,K, folate, calcium and potassium. It also contains antioxidants that help protect against cell damage caused by free radicals in the body. It treats digestive disorders like CONSTIPATION and helps the liver!!!
OMG this is really ironic I picked this maybe this is what I need!!! Spirit lead me to this plant!!!
Thank you Artemisa I just don’t know what I am going to do for this challenge yet but I will think it over.
Jeannie

[dawn13]

Hello everyone - love this
For this challenge I’ll be harvesting the herbs I’ve grown and the dandelions I left for spell work and medicines so, dandelion roots, borage, sage, lemon balm and verbena, rosemary, lavender and thyme… Lots of washing and drying for me… And of course autumn walks for acorns, conkers, crab apples, rose hips Love this time of year

[Medea]

Good morning Jeannie

I love reading your posts first thing in the morning. Your enthusiasm gets me started and hopefully I can get this challenge in on time. I really do need to get rid of some of the chaos in my life.

Enjoy your walk, it looks beautiful where you are!

Mote It Be,
Medea

[Medea]

Hi, dawn, 13.The fall is also my favorite time of year. For some reason, we have an abundance of acorns that I have to keep sweeping off my driveway, I am afraid if I step on them and I’m afraid I will break my ankle.
Good luck with your challenge, I am anxious to read it!

Medea

[dawn13]

Yes, autumn is a beautiful season. Watch your ankle! Time to look inwards

[Artemisia]

Challenge Entry - Practicing with Nature

I chose to conjure a plant spirit familiar as my challenge. I’m using these steps and ritual posted here from → A Broom at Midnight | Amazon

I chose two actually, Plantain (a common native hardy medicinal plant) and Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis). I don’t have a yard with a lawn, but I do see plantain on every run. I do, however, happen to be growing Lemon balm on my deck. Since I have easier access to the Lemon balm I am starting there.

I use lemon balm in many of my herbal tea mixes including my sleepy tea (which if I posted the recipe on here, I can’t find it…)

Over the past two days, I have refreshed the soil the plant is in, added fertilizer, trimmed old foliage, and watered her thoroughly all the while talking to her telling her my plans for the ritual and the hopes that she will accept. I asked for a leaf to press and did a rubbing on paper as the placeholder for the leaf.

Over the next few days, I’ll continue working through the ritual and working with the spirit with the hopes of developing a relationship and a connection.

Once I establish a lemon balm spirit familiar and have a comfortable relationship, I’d expand and take on the task with the Plantain.

[Nhaama]

Challenge Entry
As a Daughter of Gaia, I just cannot pass up doing this challenge!
For this challenge, I took a Calming Herbal Bath this morning and did the Resting In the Arms of Our Earth Mother meditation with Gaia. I also made a jar of Gaia’s Blessing oil that I will be using in my rituals and meditations with Mother Gaia:

I added rose petals to the oil

Here is the recipe, which I found on diffuserblends.com:
5 drops Myrrh
4 drops Tea Tree
3 drops Cedarwood
3 drops Sandalwood
1 drop Frankincense (Serrata)

[john1]

This is my entry

I planted this and said little spell to protect the house with this flower it was simple and sweet spell plus I love planting. I saved this flower from being tossed out and I revived it

[Phoenix_Fire]

challenge entry
We are heading into spring in south hem. As my hayfever likes to remind me but a more positive note of soring was seeing a butterfly yesterday at the busstop after wotk. It was just that moment of connection i knew nature was dpeaking to me…then i saw the challenge and i thought ok maybe if the butterfly had a message for me maybe i could find a butterfly spread. I hadto improvise using my apps but used druid animal and plant oracle together. Two arionhod circle dpreads made up the body in exact number of cards needed except middle cards not exactly like image but then a two xard spread made up the antenna of the butterfly. And voila … a butterfly spread…butterfly wants to spesk. Im ready to listen.

[kirsty4]

Challenge Entry

Oh I love this, I live next to the woods and often go for a nice walk and collect supplies or meditate out in the woods. I also went on holiday and took our pup to the beach and collected some shells. Don’t know who loved the beach more me or Bonnie.

I also wrote a ground spell

On this earth is where I stand

Burying my roots deep within this land

Restore my energy from dark to light

Give me your strength as we unite.

I call upon the element Earth

To ground me, protect me

and send healing energy

So it is now so mote it be.

Nothing better than than being alone in the woods just me and my magick.

[Ostara]

This challenge came at a perfect time! My daughter lives a mile down the road from me (on my parents property that I grew up on). I asked her about a week ago if I could go down there to do rituals and meditate. The back of the 3 acre property is wooded and has a creek running through it (I’m sure the creek is dry now) and it’s beautiful. When I was little I would pretend I was lost in an enchanted forest. I ordered a water proof picnic blanket from Amazon. I’m going to do this in the mornings when there is dew on the ground and it’s cooler. I will let everyone know how it goes. Today will be the first time. I haven’t been to the back of the property in years, so I’m sure the landscape has changed some. I’m also going to wear my boots to get to the perfect spot. We have snakes in Texas, and it would really ruin the mood it I get bit.

[georgia]

Back in Indiana, I used to walk the woods of Franke Park or Pokagon. Miss that.

When I got to New Mexico, I tried exploring the Rio Grande in a similar fashion. Homeless camps kept me from feeling comfortable doing that again, and the homeless have become thick and sick since Covid. I don’t even feel safe riding the buses anymore.

Ok. That means this is more of a challenge than ever for me.

Challenge Entry

Even though I have only north facing windows in an apartment with no arable land for planting, I also have reduced access to grocery stores. Gotta try something for my own survival.

I usually plant bird seed for Albus to chew on. Here is his planter:

The plants never get very big, possibly because of the size of the pot. However, I’m willing to try a bit of lettuce. So far, so good:

The potting soil I found doesn’t seem to moisten like other soils I’ve had. It floats whenever I water and doesn’t act like a sponge when I leave some in the bottom. That means I water daily, just a little at a time, and watch for the plants’ reactions.

Here’s hoping things work well, even though it is fall.

[bj1]

Challenge Entry: Nature Magick

I often commune with an oak tree that I planted 33 years ago in the back corner of our property. It has grown from a 12 inch sprig to a towering 30+ foot oak. Recently I found this charm I am going to try.

Source: Earth magic : a wisewoman’s guide to herbal, astrological, and other folk wisdom, 1994, by Claire Nahmad.

To Commune with the Spirit of a Tree

Go out into the countryside, as far as you can from streets and houses, and find a tree that your heart selects as your own. It may be that you walk straight to it, as if guided. You will sense whether the tree welcomes you or not.

Now you must name your tree, and give it a name that is noble and does it honor. Keep the name secret. The tree is your tree; you are its spiritual friend, and it will be your magical companion. A bond of love and knowledge will begin to grow between you.

Stand before your tree and let a quietude and a stillness of mind and heart fall upon you. You must place your hands upon its trunk until you feel there is a lucid language wrought in runes on its bark, a face traced in its patterns of leaf and twig, a heart within that beats in time with your own. Embrace the tree and in your heart bow in reverence for the Spirit of Trees is mighty and ancient, even if your tree is young. Say to the tree:

Tree-spirit, hear my prayer

True friendship with you I would share.

If all feels well and you sense an offering of shelter and protection from the tree, you may proceed with the charm:

Heart to heart I bind us

Soul to soul I bind us;

I am bound in your roots.

My soul in your fruits

Your sap in my blood

My breath in your wood

My voice in your leave

Your strength in my griefs

My heart in your joy …

By magic’s employ

And spirit’s wise sanction

Let this spell be done

So saith the witch.

Then tie a lock of your hair around a leafy twig and bury it deep between the roots (do not leave it upon the tree, as little birds are much annoyed by human hair, for it knots up their feet with its find threads).

You must visit your tree often and enter into a deep soul communion with it, but do not think this can happen only when you stand beside its greenery in the summer and its good bare bones in the winter. You must think of your tree many, many times as you live your life day by day; tell him or her (you will know which it is) your joys and sorrows and the secret longings of your heart. In happiness, rejoice with your tree; in pain, put your arms around its strong trunk, and it will take the pain from you; in times of mental distress or unease, make a picture of your tree in your mind’s eye; see its stillness and its gentle exhalation of peace, and breathe with your tree. Enter into its body as if you had become a tree-woman or tree-man. So did witches in the olden days undergo vile and terrible torture in a deep sleep, which separated their pain from them.

Do all these things, and the spell will be worked. Your tree will be your heart’s closest companion.